Download - English PEN

38
April 2007 for his critical writings published on-line on overseas
websites. Treatment in detention: He is held incommunicado without
family visits. Professional details: Yan Zhengxue is a well known artist
and author of several books. His paintings have been exhibited both in
China and abroad. Previous political imprisonment/problems: He has
been briefly detained on numerous occasions for his dissident activities,
and was administratively sentenced to two years ‘re-education through
labour’ in April 1994. He is also known for bringing a lawsuit against the
authorities after claiming torture in custody on 2 July 1993 by three
policemen at the Haidian district police station in Beijing.
YANG Maodong (aka Guo Feixiong)
D.o.b.: 1966. Profession: Dissident writer, independent publisher and
civil rights activist. Date of arrest: 14 September 2006. Sentence: 5
years in prison. Expires: 13 September 2011 Details of arrest:
Reportedly detained on 14 September 2006 when according to his wife,
police officers searched their home in Guangzhou City, Guangdong
Province, Southern China, and took away Yang’s computers, cell phone,
books, manuscripts and other documents. The following day Yang was
reportedly charged with illegal business practices for allegedly
publishing and selling 20,000 books using false ISBNs (international
standard book number). Details of trial: Convicted of ‘illegal business
activity’and sentenced to five years in prison by the Tianhe District Court
in the southern city of Guangzhou on 14 November 2007. He has decided
not to appeal his sentence. Place of detention: Meizhou Prison, Meizhou
City, Guangdong Province, southern China. Treatment in detention:
There are reports that he is being ill treated in detention. Health
concerns: His condition is said to be deteriorating, and he has staged a
hunger strike in protest at his treatment in prison. Previous political
imprisonment/problems: Yang Maodong is known for his critical writings
and civil rights activism. He was previously detained on 12
September 2005 and held without charge until December 2005 for his
involvement in and reporting of an anti-corruption campaign by villagers
in Taishi Village, Guangdong Province. Yang has since been subject to
repeated harassment by the authorities. Professional details: Yang
Maodong is a writer and independent publisher, and his writings include
two novels and one collection of short stories. He has also published
many essays, poems and articles.
YANG Tongyan (aka Yang Tianshui)
D.o.b.: 12 April 1961 Profession: Dissident writer and member of
Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC). Date of arrest: 23 December
2005 Sentence: 12 years in prison Expires: 22 December 2017 Details of
arrest: Reportedly detained without a warrant on 23 December 2005 in
Nanjing. Yang was held incommunicado at Dantu Detention Centre in
Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, without access to his family until his trial.
Details of trial: Convicted of subversion for posting anti-government articles
on the Internet, organizing branches of the (outlawed) China
Democracy Party and accepting illegal funds from overseas. Sentenced by
the Zhenjiang intermediate court in eastern China’s Jiangsu province at a
three-hour trial on 16 May 2006. Yang Tongyan is known for his critical
writings published on dissident news websites such as Boxun.com and
Epoch Times. Health concerns: Diabetes, reportedly worsening in prison.
Place of detention: Nanjing Prison, Ningshuang Road 9, Box 1215-12,
Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. Previous political imprisonment/problems:
He spent a decade in prison from 1990 to 2000 on “counter-revolution”
charges for his involvement in the 1989 pro-democracy protests. He
was also previously held incommunicado from 24 December 2004 - 25
January 2005. Other information: Recipient of Independent Chinese
PEN Centre’s 2006 Writer in Prison Award. Honorary Member of: PEN
Canada, Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC).
Nurehamet YASIN and Korash HUSEYIN
D.o.b.: 6 March 1974 and 1970 respectively. Profession: Freelance
Uighur writer and editor of the Uighur-language Kashgar Literary
Journal respectively. Date of arrest: Yasin - 29 November 2004,
Huseyin – not known. Sentence: 10 years and 3 years in prison respectively.
Expires: 30 November 2014 and 2008 respectively. Details of
arrest: Nurmehamet Yasin was arrested in Kashgar on 29 November
2004 for the publication of his short story Wild Pigeon (Yawa Kepter),
which was first published in the bi-monthly Uighur-language Kashgar
Literature Journal, issue No. 5, November 2004. Authorities also confiscated
Yasin’s personal computer containing an estimated 1,600 poems,
commentaries, stories, and one unfinished novel. PEN first learned of this
case in September 2005. Yasin’s story was widely circulated and recommended
for one of the biggest Uighur literary websites in the Uighur
Autonomous Region for outstanding literary award. It also attracted the
attention of the Chinese authorities, who apparently consider the fable to
be a tacit criticism of their government in the Xinjiang Uighur
Autonomous Region. There are no details about Huseyin’s arrest. Details
of trial: After a closed trial in February 2005 at which he was not
permitted a lawyer, Yasin was sentenced by the Maralbesh Country court
to 10 years in prison for “inciting Uighur separatism” in his book Wild
Pigeon (Yawa Kepter). The Kashgar Intermediate Court upheld his
sentence on appeal, and Yasin was transferred on 19 May 2005 to
Urumchi No. 1 Jail, where he remains detained. PEN learned in
November 2005 that Huseyin had been sentenced by a Kashgar court to
three years for publishing the story, WiPC seeking further details of his
trial and charges. Place of detention: Yasin - Urumchi No.1 Jail. It is not
known where Huseyin is held. Treatment in prison: Yasin has been
permitted no visitors since his arrest. Professional details:
Nurmuhemmet Yasin is an award-winning and prolific freelance Uighur
writer. He has published many highly acclaimed literary works and prose
poems in recent years, including the poetry collections First Love,
Crying from the Heart, and Come on Children. He is said to be a mature
writer with an established literary credential among Uighur readers. He is
married with two young sons. Korash Huseyin is married with three children.
Wild Pigeon was translated from the Uighur into English and
Chinese. Honorary member of: American, English and Independent
Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC).
YU Huafeng
Profession: Deputy-editor-in-chief and general manager of the
Guangzhou-based daily Nanfang Dushi Bao (Southern Metropolis News.
Date of arrest: 14 January 2004 Sentence: 12 years in prison, reduced
on appeal to eight years. His sentence has reportedly been twice
commuted by a total of 2 years and 8 months. Expires: 8 May 2009
Details of arrest: Arrested for alleged financial irregularities. Accused
of embezzling 580,000 yuan (US$97,000) and distributing it to members
of the newspaper’s editorial committee. He maintains that the money in
question was acquired legally as staff bonuses. It is said that the evidence
presented in court did not support the charges, and it is widely believed
that his imprisonment is part of a targeted campaign to silence the newspaper,
which is known for its aggressive reporting on social issues and
official corruption. WiPC has re-opened this case in the light of the
sentence reductions.